"From the earliest times in Christian history there have been those who were convinced that they were, or are, living in the last days. Some Christians anticipated that our Lord Jesus Christ would return during the life time of the Apostle St John.
In the first century Christian Church many viewed the conditions which they were facing as evidence that the end of the world was at hand.
In the early church there was a belief that
the Apostle St. John would be alive when Jesus would return and extend the rule
of God over all things. This view was circulated around the church and was
based on an exchange which St. Peter had with the risen Jesus there on the
shore of the Sea of Galilee
"Peter turned and saw that the disciple
whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back
against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)
When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive
until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the
rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus
did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive
until I return, what is that to you?” Jhn: 21:20-23
John Saw Coming & Died
Some believe that, in one sense St. John
did see our Lord's coming as he was moved to pen the Book of Revelation in the
90s AD. St. John sees and interacts with the living Lord Jesus Christ through
the Holy Spirit as he was in exile on the Island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea.
"Behold, he comes with clouds; and every
eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the
earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Rev: 1:7
"And I turned to see the voice that spoke
with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the middle
of the seven candlesticks one like to the Son of man, clothed with a garment
down to the foot, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle. His head and
his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame
of fire; And his feet like to fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and
his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven
stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance
was as the sun shines in his strength". (12-16)
St. John sees Jesus at the onset of the Book,
and again at the very end in Revelation: 19. St.
John has long died and Jesus has not yet descended from the Havens in the way
that Christians have traditionally believed that He would.
Trend of History
In the Olivet prophecy, found in the
synoptic Gospels, Matthew:24, Mark:13 and Luke:21, which was given by our Lord Jesus himself and
reveals to us the general trends and conditions of human history
from that time until the end of human civilization.
The stream of human history is filled with
religious and spiritual deception, wars, natural upheavals, famine, epidemics
and more. Each of these ebbs and flows gathering moment and then reseeding and
then again gathers intensity as the years go by resulting in conditions that,
if God would not send his Son humanity would destroy themselves.
The End Time
Are we living in the "End Time"? , the answer is yes ,we are. Do we know how long that time will
be?..no we do not know. What we do know is, that
we are in the "general time period" of "the end". We do not know how long it will be
nor is there an undiscovered code within Scripture that will allow us to
pin point when our Lord will return. What we can know is that Jesus will return
and the world will end, that is, human misrule under the deceptive sway of
Satan will terminate at some point in the future.
Predictions made by
different ministers often come with books, CDs, DVDs and others
items described as being "vital" for the
believer's understanding, which, as you obtain them it becomes
apparent that they are designed to offer you even more books, CDs DVDs and
others items which again offer more items all "vital to
your understanding" and again more items that you
need to buy; you might say that the end of the world sells.
Every time a "time
frame" is presented that Jesus will return within, he
does not come. Often dates are picked or strongly hinted at, some times these
dates revolve around the Holy days found under the Old Covenant.
Others believe that there is
a cryptic encoded message hidden within the Bible itself that will
enable you to determine when Jesus will come.
Even in recent decades predictions have been
made, the dates come , go , and are gone, yet , those who make them and their
followers never seem not to notice. New
dates are figured and predictions are updated and again, Jesus does not come.
Often, this habit of predictions gathers some
attention, and when the predictions fail, then skepticism in the
Christian message increases and gives the enemies of Christianity
ammunition to denounce us, not for a message about our Lord, but for
failed predictions.
We need to stay riveted upon Jesus not events.
It’s important that we understand the times, but it’s even more important to
know Jesus. In many ways the Kingdom of God has come already in the person of
Jesus and through the Holy Spirit into the lives of Christians around the
world.
Some have made ministries dedicated to the
study of prophecy, yet, their spiritual conditions are, in some
cases, stunted. Rather than ,preaching that the "end is at
hand" let us boldly preach Jesus that he has come, is come
and, yes will come.
This is the ultimate fulfillment of prophecy
and the whole point of the Apostolic Church message. Jesus was and is the
message, who he is, and all that he has and will do. The Christian message
should be a "person message" about Jesus not an "event
message" about destruction. When Jesus is preached prophecy is being
fulfilled.
"for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit
of prophecy" .
Rev:19:10c
If you do not join in the prediction of "end time" events often you are accused
of "not believing the Bible" or as some will
retort that those who do not join in are "scoffers" such
as the Apostle St. Peter says would arise in "the last days".
"Above all, you must understand that in
the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors
died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 2Pet:3:3-4
Those who make such charges often do
so as a ploy, I suspect in an attempt to force others to go-along
with them or appear to be a "scoffer".
I knew a man in one of the churches
which I had pastored, this man made bold "predictions" of things that he had confidently
affirmed would come to pass, he even had dates set that he "knew things were going to happen on". The
dates came and went. This man never got over that he had been wrong, he sat
forlorn looking at is feet, his hopes dashed, "events"
did not play out as he predicted. He never was the same again.
Another man claimed that "within six months" world war 111 would begin. That was all most ten years ago, which that was predicted.
This constant preoccupation with "end time" events however has one effect that
those who delve into them may not realize.
When we focus on events we are not focused on
our Lord. When we make our mission to proclaim events, we diminish our Lord
Jesus down to a mere participant in those events.
All forms of legalism, whatever the type,
arises from either a diminishing of the person of Jesus or a distortion of who
Jesus is. When we lose sight of Jesus' full humanity or full deity then we have
to compensate for it through something done on the believers' part. In every
case where there is a form of legalism there is a diminishing or distortion of
who Jesus is in some way.
The Great Disappointment
In America, during the 1800s a man named Col. William
Miller became interested in prophecy. Col. Miller was a good and sincere Christian;
he came to believe that he could by studying the Scripture know when
Jesus would return. Col. Miller arrived at a date; he shared his findings
with others they became convinced that Jesus' return was at hand.
Col. Miller and his followers, called
Millerites, waited, some having sold homes and lands believing that they
would no longer need such things. The date came and went, and Jesus did not
return, many were crushed and dishearten.
Col. Miller returned to his calculations. Col.
Miller did his calculations again and he came to believe that Jesus would
return the following year. One year later Jesus did not return. This episode in
American church history became known as the Great
Disappointment.
Again, let me say that YES! we are in the "general time" of "the end", but we do not know how long
that time will be, it could be ten years or one hundred and ten. So when did
the "end time" begin?
"And it shall come to pass in the last
days, said God, I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh: and your sons and
your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your
old men shall dream dreams:" Acts:2:17
St. Peter quotes the Prophet Joel's prophecy regarding the "last days" and St. Peter interprets the day of Pentecost, approximately 33 AD, as the start of the "last days”. If that be true, then "the end" is transpiring all around us and has been for the last two thousand years, we can witness all that Jesus spoke of taking place around us. This is sometimes called the Inaugurated Eschatology, which means that, through the Apocalyptic events surrounding the life death and resurrection of Jesus and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, the Kingdom of God has come into the lives of Christians, and in a very real sense the world as a whole, and is here and now not just some day.
When we look out at a world in disorder, we
should not allow this to eclipse our view of our Lord, all the more our voices
should raise all the louder that Jesus is Lord that he is God's uniquely born
Son the one and only Savior of humanity. This should be our message in all and
every time, all about Jesus all the time, not events , not even "end time" events.
No Need to Fear
From speaking to many believers who are
intensely interested in "the end" ,
it seems that eventually what comes out is fear! They are
afraid that if they do not "pay attention" to what is going on they will get caught up
in it, or they will not have "done enough" to
be found "good enough" to escape, yet ,
our Lord Jesus tells us not to be afraid. Jesus tells his
disciples, and to we today.
"I have told you these things, so that in
me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But do not be
afraid for I have defeated the world.” Jhn: 16:33
And to the aged Apostle St. John on Patmos in
the Aegean Sea while under house arrest for preaching about Jesus around 90-95
AD.
“Do not be afraid." Rev: 1:17c
Christians do not have to fear, not even
the "end of the world" , our Lord is with us in
all and every time, even the "end time" .
I have heard ministers even admit fear at the
prospects of facing "the end" of the world. It
is true that the closing years of human civilization will be difficult, yet our
Lord can and will see His people through them. The most
often repeated admonition in all Scripture is "do not be afraid" .
In Jesus, our God has accomplished the
salvation of any who will but freely receive it. Jesus has won the victory over
all that would or could keep us from experiencing this salvation. Even the
devil is defeated, and he knows it. Jesus did this through the incarnation and
his death for us all. Satan and even death have been conquered.
"For as much then as the children are
partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;
that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is,
the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage" Heb:2:14-15
Victory
Through Jesus the fallen world and
its unseen rulers are already defeated and victory over the world is ours
already, not just someday, but ours now, today! For the Christian, when we came
to believe in Jesus, we experience this victory that is already ours in our
Lord. For us, the world has ended in Jesus. What we are witnessing in the world
around us, is the outworking of the world's defeat which Jesus has already
wrought on our behalf.
"But thanks be to God, which gives
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" 1Cor:15:57
Even now, we Christians walk as citizen
of his kingdom, not just some day.
"Who has delivered us from the power of
darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:" Col:1:13
The reality that we now are under the rule of
our God should inspire us to walk in a way that bring glory to our Lord and
points others to Jesus not to "events".
"That you would walk worthy of God, who
has called you to his kingdom and glory." 1Thess:2:12
What Do We Know?
Again, yes, the
world will end, human history will conclude, Jesus Christ will personally come
again descending from the heavens in great glory. There are moments
under human misrule in which we live when the "end" seems to be very close at hand,
and other times when it does not, it ebbs and flows.
What can we know regarding these things? We
can know that we are in the "general season of the end"
, that this " general season" will
be characterized by difficult times. Luke: 21:30-31. There
will be, and is, deception spiritually, politically, educationally and
many others ways. Matthew: 24:4-8. Mark: 13:29.
There will be wars, natural disasters of every
sort. The challenges for humanity will intensify. Social problems will increase,
humanity will become more harden and selfish looking more to the gratification
of the flesh.
There Will Always be a Nero
Being confronted with these challenges will
lead humanity to look to itself, and to a "personality" which
will emerge at the end of human history, for answers. Reve:13.
Many early Christians believed that this "personality" would be the Emperor Nero
returned from the deadly wound of assassination. This belief was circulating
with in the church even in the 400s AD. St. Augustine of Hippo wrote of this
anticipation of Nero's return among some Christians especially in the eastern
churches.
This belief was known as the Nero
Redivivus (Again) Legend. The legend of Nero's return lasted for
hundreds of years after Nero's death.
Yet, this "personality" ,
this "Nero" of the years ahead ,whom
much of humanity will look to for answers, will bring only more tyranny
and more suffering increasing the severity of humanities problems with
increased conflicts and power struggles, until, if our Lord does not
intervene, humanity, for which the Son of God gave himself, would be
destroyed.
Jesus Christ will return from the heavens and
the rule of God will extend over all things and there will finally be
peace. Rev:19:11
Nero Impostors
The civil war during
the "Year of Four Emperors" in 69AD , was described by some ancient
historians as a troubling period. Tacitus, attributed this instability was due
to the fact that emperors could no longer rely on
the legitimacy of the imperial bloodline, as Nero and those before him did.
Galba's short reign began with the
execution of many who were allies of Nero and any possible future
enemies. One was Nymphidiue Sabinus who laid claimed to be the son of
emperor Caligula.
Otho overthrew Galba. Otho was said to be
liked by many legionnaires because he had been an ally of Nero's and
looked like him and was somewhat like Nero in temperament.
It had been reported that the common Roman hailed Otho as Nero
himself. Otho assumed Nero as a surname and made many statues to
Nero.
Vitelius overthrew Otho. Vitellius began
his time of rule with a funeral of much fanfare for Nero complete
with songs composed by Nero himself.
After Nero's suicide, or assassination, in
68 AD, there was a widespread belief, especially in the eastern provinces of
the Roman Empire that Nero was not really dead and somehow would
return.
At least three Nero importers emerged
leading rebellions. The first, who sang and played the cithara or lyre and
whose face was similar to that of the dead emperor, appeared in 69 AD during
the reign of Vitellius. After persuading some to recognize him, he was captured
and executed.
Sometime during the reign of Titus around
79–81 AD there was another impostor who appeared
in Asia and also sang to the accompaniment of the lyre and looked like Nero as well,
but he too, was killed. Twenty years after Nero's death, during the reign of,
Domitian there was a third pretender who was supported by the Parthians.
There is, and always will be a
"Nero" who is claiming to be able to bring what only our
Lord Jesus can.
Nearer Then Yesterday.
So, as to the timing of "the end", in one sense the "end" has come for those who
believe, but for the world at large, these things are yet to play
out; as to when? we do not know, and if one asserts to know the
day we can only refer you to the words of our Lord.
"But of that day and hour knows no man,
no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matt: 24:36
But there is also this reassurance,
of the coming of our Lord Jesus and the end of human misrule
is " nearer than when we believed." Rom: 13:11
The coming of Lord is near at hand therefore
we should go forth with godly confidence and preach the message about our Lord
Jesus Christ and all that God has done for each and all who will but freely
receive it.
The Apostles themselves asked about the
"end" , they and we are naturally curious about such things, but
Jesus directed them, and we, to our primary mission which
is telling others everywhere about Jesus, regardless of what takes
place in the world around us.
"Then they gathered around him and
asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
"He said to them: “It is not for you to
know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses
in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts: 1:6-8
Our Lord Jesus' coming is at hand and the
end is come.
Benediction: May we each and all ever have our eyes
upon our Lord Jesus regardless of what takes place in the world around us,
today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.
Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma
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